Beyond the Boundaries
by lestrangexoxo
Summary: Hayley Potter has always lived in her cousin's shadow; he's the Chosen One, and yet she's expected to live up to his legend. But this year something's different, and she meets someone who feels just as left out as she does.
1. The Start Of Something

The daily paper lay untouched on the kitchen table in the Weasley house. No one read the papers anymore, they only checked who was missing. It couldn't have been any later than six in the morning, but Hayley Potter was already awake and sitting at the table. Later in the day, they would all be going back to Hogwarts, but for some reason Hayley wasn't feeling as excited about that as she should be. She felt like something had changed, but she couldn't decide what. She had her cousin, Harry and her best friend, Ginny. No one had died recently, which was un-usual, but her heart felt significantly emptier.

Hayley picked up the paper and scanned the page for something interesting. Her eyes rested on a story with a photograph of Draco Malfoy and his mother. She was one year below Draco and Harry at school, but she knew enough about him. She flicked over the page to read the full story, but before she had a chance to take it in, the kitchen door squeaked open and her cousin joined her at the table.

'How are you feeling, Hayley?' Harry asked her comfortingly. 'Ginny told me you got up early.'

Hayley forced a smile at her concerned cousin. He was always worrying about her, sometimes too much.

'I'm fine, Harry.'

He looked her in the eyes. 'Sure?'

'_Yes_,' She assured him. 'it just feels weird, Harry. Like something isn't right.'

'You ought to tell Dumbledore.'

She shook her head. 'That's your answer for everything. I don't get visions into Voldemort's mind like you, Harry. It's probably nothing.' She said quietly. Harry could sense that she was going to get annoyed with him again. She always did whenever something like this was mentioned. Harry got the mystical abilities, he was the one with scar, the connection to Voldemort – the Chosen One. And Hayley? She got nothing. She felt weak, more than anything. Everyone knew that Voldemort's aim was to take out those closest to Harry, and Hayley was the only real family he had left. But she was confident that she could look after herself, even though she didn't have her cousin's abilities in magic, she wasn't good at Potions, she could barely do a Patronus charm, and she definitely was no good at Defence Against the Dark Arts. The only thing she was any good at was Divination, and that was because she could make it up and still get the best grades in the class.

'I'm going upstairs.' Hayley said icily, suddenly rising from the table.

'Hayley, please don't be mad at me,' Harry said quickly.

Hayley sighed. 'I'm not, Harry. Just back off a bit, okay?'

'Sorry, did I pick the wrong week to argue with you?'

'Piss off, Harry.' She wasn't in the mood to go along with her cousins taunts. He could never tell when she was or wasn't in the mood to joke with him, and yet he expected her to be able to tell the difference when it was him. He had worse mood swings then she did!

Everyone boarded the train on time, which was quite shocking in and of itself. Hayley followed Ginny onto the train and they got a compartment together. Harry, Ron and Hermione were otherwise engaged. Ron and Hermione were Prefects and had to patrol the train at regular intervals. And Harry never told anyone where he was going, he just wandered off. Hayley noticed that Ginny did seem quite sad to see him leave so quickly, but her mood lightened considerably when Dean Thomas put in an appearance. He was in the year above, and Ginny's current boyfriend.

'Oh… hey Hayley,' He said once he noticed Ginny wasn't alone. 'I thought it was just Ginny.' He said awkwardly. Hayley stared back at him. She was always having to leave so that they could be alone. Ginny and Dean had more of a physical relationship than anything else.

'Right, yeah. I'll go and… not be here.' Hayley said, mostly to Ginny. Dean's constant presence had annoyed her last year, she hoped it wouldn't continue this term, but it didn't look hopeful.

'Thanks, Hayley. I'll catch up with you when we get to school, yeah?' Ginny said, as Dean took the seat next to her.

'Sure. I'll go find Lavender or someone.' Hayley muttered, slipping out of the compartment, and sliding the door shut behind her. She didn't really want to go and find Lavender. She'd suddenly taken quite a shine to Hayley and kept trying to get her to set her up with Ron Weasley.

She wandered slowly to the other end of the train, taking her time to avoid spending any longer with Lavender than she had to. She saw someone walking towards her in the opposite direction. She knew it would probably be a Prefect, she just hoped it was someone she knew who wouldn't ask why she was in the corridor. But it wasn't.

'Well, if it isn't mini Potter.' Draco Malfoy sneered.

'Saw you in the paper, Malfoy.' Hayley told him. She was better than her cousin at dealing with Malfoy's jeers and taunts.

He went slightly paler. 'Really? That's interesting.'

'I know, I did find the article very… enlightening.' Hayley said with a cold smile.

Draco cleared his throat. 'Why are you in the corridor?'

'Just passing through. Going to see a friend.' She told him.

'Well, could you make it quick, then. You're not supposed to be in the hallway while the train's moving.' He instructed her.

She rolled her eyes. 'If you say so.' She went to walk past him but he stepped in front of her.

'You know, I can issue detentions if you give me attitude, Potter.'

She shrugged. 'I know.'

He stared at her. Did she want a detention?

She leaned slightly closer to him. 'Guess I'm just willing to run the risk. After all, a detention's better than a spell in _Azkaban_… right?' She whispered.

'Get out of my sight, Potter.' He told her coldly.

'Gladly.'

A voice from behind her made both of them jump.

'Hayley!' A girly, Barbie-like voice squealed. Hayley didn't have to turn around to know that it was Lavender Brown.

'I think I'm going to be sick.' Malfoy muttered. Hayley couldn't help but smirk at his comment, then quickly wiped it off her face.

'Hey, Lavender.' She smiled falsely at her, and of course, Lavender believed her entirely – she wasn't the brightest of people.

'Watch yourself, Potter.' Malfoy whispered to her, before turning on his heels and striding off down the corridor.

'What was that about?' Lavender asked, linking her arm and walking her up the corridor.

'Oh, he's a Prefect. He was wondering why I was in the corridor.' Hayley explained.

'You dealt with that well, then. I'd have thought Malfoy would have lapped up the opportunity to serve you with a detention,' Lavender said, and it appeared to really be puzzling her.

'I'm sure he will before long.' Hayley agreed with her as she opened the door to their compartment. Parvati Patel was inside, and a girl from Hayley's year; Ashleigh. She was just as airheaded as Lavender. Parvati was actually quite clever, but she just chose to hang around with people who weren't.

Hayley smiled around the room and sat down.

'Good summer, Hayley?' Parvati asked her, looking up from her magazine.

'Yes, thanks. Spent the summer at the Weasley's house, actually.' She glanced at Lavender, who seemed to have sat up straighter since she mentioned that.

'Really?' Parvati continued. 'How curious. I can't think of anyone who might want to ask you questions about every detail of that.' She said sarcastically. Hayley smiled. Parvati was usually quite funny, but the main reason for it was that she managed to keep a straight face every time she made a sarcastic comment.

'That's nice,' Lavender said, seemingly not hearing what her friend had said. 'was Ron there?'

'Well yeah… he does live there, Lavender.' Hayley said slowly.

'Oh, yeah, of course,' Lavender giggled. 'did he say anything?'

'Many things.'

'About me?'

'No.'

'Oh.'

Lavender sat back and looked glum. 'You will ask him though, won't you?'

'Yes. I will ask him if he wants to be set up with someone, but you might actually have to engage him in conversation.' Hayley told her, after about the fifth time of asking.

'I know, and I will. Obviously.' Lavender replied, as if it was what she had been doing the whole time – it was not. She had been giggling every time he was near her, and she almost passed out when he said 'Excuse me' to her in a corridor once.

'Great.' Hayley muttered, staring out of the window, maybe in the hope she could make the train go faster by watching the country side passing by.


	2. Flirting

Hayley walked up to the castle with Lavender. Ginny said she'd catch up with her once they got back to school, so it left Hayley listening to Lavender ramble on about how great Ron was. She wasn't really paying attention to her, but it wasn't as if there was anything better to do. They'd been quite late getting off the train but it surprised Hayley to see Draco only just leaving the train. She watched him. He looked nervous, like he'd just done something really stupid. And another strange thing; he was alone. Draco Malfoy was never alone.

'Lavender, I'll see you up at school, okay? I've got to do something.' Hayley told her quickly.

'Oh… okay, but-' Lavender started, but Hayley had already started walking towards Malfoy. Lavender shot a confused glance at her then carried on walking to the castle.

'Malfoy!' Hayley called to him. He looked up at her and rolled his eyes.

'Potter.' He said to her.

'What've you done?' She got straight to the point.

'What?'

'What have you done?' She repeated. 'You've done something stupid, I can tell.' Hayley told him.

'Just leave me alone.' He sighed, staring around him to see if anyone else was watching.

'What's that? Embarrassed to be seen with me?' She grinned at him.

'Perhaps.' He muttered, turning his attention back to her.

Hayley draped her arm over his shoulder. 'What about now? Really embarrassed now?' She teased.

'You have to stand on your toes to do that, I think if anyone should be embarrassed it's you.' Draco told her. He couldn't help but smile. Hayley laughed and removed her arm from around him.

'So, come on. I've lightening the mood now. Tell me what you did.' She said softly.

'I'm going to walk by myself now, Potter. I think you ought to go back to the train… I think you've left something there.' He told her. She stopped walking, and he continued.

'Why? I didn't leave anything there!' She called after him.

'Just check.' He turned around briefly before leaving her on the platform. Hayley stood for a minute wondering what to do next. Why would she have left anything on the train? And how would Malfoy, of all people, know if she had? Well, it couldn't hurt to check.

She got back onto the train and wandered through the carriages. She hadn't left anything behind, she couldn't have. Hayley hadn't even taken anything out of her bag on the train! She was so wrapped up in deciding what she might have left behind, that she caught her foot on something. She looked down and saw nothing but her converse. And yet, it felt like she was caught in something. She bent down and touched the floor; carpet, carpet… still carpet… what's that? Her hand felt something smooth and fabric like. She pulled it and suddenly everything was revealed.

'Bloody hell, Harry,' She muttered, as her cousin lay helpless below her. Evidently he had been petrified. Hayley took her wand out and said the counter charm, and watched Harry come back to motion.

'Thanks, Hayley,' he said quickly, jumping up from the floor, grabbing the invisibility cloak. 'Malfoy did it, he knew I was spying on him.' He muttered angrily, storming ahead of her to leave the train.

'Well then you shouldn't have been spying!' She called after him, jogging to catch up.

'I had to find out something, didn't I? In case he really is a Death Eater.'

Hayley rolled her eyes. 'Yeah, 'cause he's going to just announce it to everyone on the train. Honestly, Harry, you can be so ridiculous sometimes.' She told him. He simply looked at her. He wanted to argue, but he thought better of it.

'What happened to your nose?' Hayley asked eventually.

'Thanks for noticing,' Harry said sarcastically. 'that prat Malfoy did it.'

Hayley took her wand out again. Harry step backwards in horror.

'Don't you dare! I'll get it fixed _properly_ when we get to school!' he tried to plead with her.

She shook her head. 'Harry, I'm much better at this now. Come here, I promise it'll work.'

Harry thought about it for a moment, then took a few steps closer to her, silently giving her permission to fix his nose.

'Episky,' She said quickly. Harry double over, his hands clasped to his nose in pain.

'Holy shit, Hayley!' He cried out. He straightened up after the pain subsided. 'How do I look?'

Hayley raised her eyebrows. 'As awful as you usually do, scar.'

Harry shook his head. 'Piss off.' Then he grinned at her.

They got back up to the castle eventually. They'd already missed the sorting, and the feast. Ginny flew into a hug once they got there, Harry got one first… obviously. Although he seemed rather shocked to have received it. Hayley gave Ginny a knowing look and she blushed.

They sat back down at the table.

'What happened to you?' Hermione asked, worry all over her face.

'Malfoy hexed me.' He muttered darkly.

'And how did you get all covered in blood?' Ginny asked him, using a cloth to mop up the blood. Hayley glanced at her and she quickly handed the cloth to Harry to let him do it himself.

'He broke my nose,' He explained. 'and then Hayley fixed it.'

Hermione leaned forward at the table. 'And why were you in a position to get hexed by him in the first place?' Harry didn't reply. 'You were spying, weren't you?'

He nodded slowly. 'But how else am I going to prove to you guys that he's a death eater?'

'He is _not_ a Death Eater,' Hayley told him sternly. 'why would Voldemort-' She noticed Ron and Ginny flinch. 'Sorry. What we he want with Malfoy? I know he's a bully but he's just a little shit really. He wouldn't actually do anything that bad.'

'Wouldn't he?' Harry replied. 'This is the guy that's constantly been out to get me ever since first year.'

'_Harry_,' Hayley said quickly, before he had a chance to ramble on about it. 'just because he's not a friend of yours, doesn't mean he's a Death Eater. I mean, you're not friends with a lot of people, Harry, does that mean they're all Death Eaters?'

'Well, no…' Harry muttered, unhappy that he'd been proved wrong. 'But Malfoy's parents are both Death Eaters. His aunt killed Sirius last year!'

'Shhh!' Hayley told him quickly, as people started to turn around as Harry's voice got louder.

'Harry, we know Lestrange killed Sirius. But you're just going to need more proof if you want people to believe you when you say that Malfoy's a Death Eater.' Hermione explained carefully.

Hayley could tell this was going to go on a while, and luckily, they were told to go back to their common rooms shortly after. Ron and Hermione went off on Prefect duty, leaving Ginny, Hayley and Harry walking together in somewhat of an awkward silence.

'Oh look, Harry there's Neville. I think you should go and talk to him.' Hayley told him suddenly, pushing him in Neville's direction.

'What? But I was walking with you…' Harry tried to say.

'Yeah, and now you're not,' Hayley smiled at him. 'Neville!' She called him and he turned around. She dispensed Harry at Neville's side and returned to Ginny.

'If you tell me one more time that you'd rather be spending time with Dean, then I swear I'll hex you.' Hayley grinned at her friend. Ginny shook her head.

'I really like Dean-'

'Well you should. He's your boyfriend.'

'Yes, I'm aware of that, thank you,' Ginny smiled back. 'but I mean obviously I do still like Harry, but just as my friend.'

'No way.'

'Yes! I'm being serious, Hayley!'

They didn't get a chance to continue arguing about it, as Dean appeared next to Ginny and put his arm around her.

'What are we arguing about?' Dean asked them.

'Nothing.' They said simultaneously.

'Oh, because I thought I heard to talking about me.' He kissed Ginny's cheek.

Hayley rolled her eyes. 'Yep. We were talking about you, Dean. I was just saying how _incredibly_ annoying you are.'

Dean grinned at her. 'You're so funny, Hayley.' Ginny smiled at her boyfriend then glared at Hayley. She laughed and walked ahead of them up the stairs. Honestly, sometimes she just wished Ginny and Dean would hurry up and split up. They were driving her insane!

She turned back to them. It made her so depressed that they had all this intimacy and closeness. Hayley would probably never have that. Her last boyfriend, if you could call it that, was when she went to the Halloween party with Seamus Finnegan. He was never her boyfriend, but they sure kissed enough. She sighed.

She felt really left out sitting in the common room. All of her friends had boyfriends, well, except Hermione, but Hayley felt bad about interrupting her and Ron's conversation. All the girls in her dorm had boyfriends, it was literally unbelievable! Well, Stephanie Levato didn't have a boyfriend, so to speak, but she did spend most of her evenings in a make out session with someone. Usually a different person each week.

Hayley decided to go for a walk. She sometimes used to last year when her friends weren't around. There were Prefects on duty until quite late at night, and there was this really friendly Ravenclaw boy called Tommy, who patrolled in the Dungeons. She hoped she'd be able to find him, he wasn't usually too difficult to find.

Hayley wandered through the dungeons by herself. There wasn't really any danger of her getting into trouble for it, unless Professor Snape was lurking around a corner somewhere, but that only usually happened during the day. She expected to see Tommy doing the Prefect duty when she turned the corner, but it was someone else.

'Potter?' Draco Malfoy was staring at her.

'Malfoy,' She said quickly, trying to not to add any question to her tone.

'What are you doing?'

'Walking.'

'You shouldn't be.'

'Where's Tommy?' She asked him, changing the subject. Malfoy walked closer to her.

'Tommy?'

Hayley stared at him, did he not even know who's Prefect duty he's taken? 'Yeah. Tommy Langer. He usually does the patrol around here.' She told him. Malfoy smirked.

'Yeah… he's doesn't do that anymore.' He said quickly.

Hayley looked at him suspiciously. 'Why not?'

Malfoy shrugged. 'He just doesn't. Guess they moved his duty…'

'No one moves people's prefect duties. Even I know that, and I'm not even a prefect.' Hayley told him.

'Oh. Well, I guess they made an exception.'

'So where's his new duty then?'

'I don't know. Why, are you supposed to meet him?' He asked her. She saw something else in his eyes. She smiled.

'I don't know. Why, are you jealous?' She questioned in the same tone.

'No,' He replied quickly. 'why should I be? You're a Potter. I don't want anything to do with you.'

Hayley laughed.

'What?' He snapped.

She grinned at him. 'Nothing, nothing. It's just that has more effect if you actually mean it.'

'And what makes you think I didn't?'

Hayley shook her head. This was unbelievable. Why was she hanging around in the dungeons talking to Draco Malfoy? This was absurd.

'Yeah… I'm gonna leave now.' Hayley told him.

'Hey, before you do,' Malfoy said, his hand touched hers as she turned around. 'you'll come down here again, right? You know… in case Tommy's back on duty?'

She smirked. 'Nah. I'm sure he'll find me sooner or later, and besides, they don't change people's prefect duties for no reason, right?' She smiled sweetly at him.

'Are you flirting with me?' Malfoy laughed, but it was a cheeky laugh, not his usual mocking laugh.

Hayley turned around again and called over her shoulder; 'I'll see you around, Malfoy.'

'See you, Potter.' He called back.


	3. It's A Date

Defence Against the Dark Arts was never Hayley's favourite subject, but since Professor Snape took over teaching it, it had got so much worse. Not only was she bad at it, she was humiliated every lesson because of it. She barely even got into the lesson before she was told off for something.

'Miss Potter,' Snape began sourly. Hayley resisted the urge to ignore him. 'not only do I feel that it is pointless that you turn up to this lesson, but it is even more pointless to appear in such a state of undress.'

'I'm sorry?'

'Your shoes.'

Hayley glanced down at herself. So out of everything to point out that was wrong with her uniform, he had to go for her shoes? She wasn't the only one wearing converse! At least hers were black. She could see Alivia Hancock wearing purple ones across the room.

'Oh.' Was about all Hayley could say. What did he expect her to do? Go back and change them?

'I do not want you in my classroom looking like this.'

'Right… so where do you want me to go?'

Snape turned back to the class. 'Page three-hundred and ninety-four,' then turned back to Hayley, his cloak swirling around him. 'go down to Professor Slughorn and give Draco Malfoy a message. I want you to tell him to come to my office straight after his lesson finishes.' He didn't wait around for her agree or ask any questions, just marched off to the front of the classroom.

Hayley sighed and left the room. It wasn't even lunch yet and already she was in trouble! With any luck Professor Slughorn would give her another job to do so she wouldn't have to go back to Snape's lesson. He was right about one thing though; it was pointless her attending his class.

She got down to the dungeons, to Snape's old classroom, and knocked on the door. After a moment she heard Slughorn call out 'Come in!' and she pushed the door open. The class was working inside, and almost no one even noticed her come in. Harry grinned at her, she smiled back.

'What can I do for you, miss Potter?' Slughorn asked her.

'Well, Professor Snape asked me to deliver a message to Draco Malfoy.' Hayley explained. Slughorn nodded and smiled.

'Mr Malfoy,' He called. Draco looked up from his cauldron. 'Outside, please. You have a message from Professor Snape.'

Hayley followed Draco outside the classroom. Why she couldn't just have given him the message inside the classroom was a mystery, but then again, Professor Slughorn was a strange mystery himself.

'What's the message?' Draco asked her. She couldn't read his tone, he was definitely different from last night.

'Oh. Snape wants to see you straight after this class, you have to go to his office.' She informed him. Draco rolled his eyes.

'Not again,' He muttered.

'What?'

'Doesn't matter,' He told her. 'was that it?'

'Was that what?' Hayley asked him, confused.

'Was that the whole message? Can I get back to class now?' He asked her moodily.

She glared at him. 'Yes. That was the whole message.'

He turned away and began to walk back into the potions classroom.

'Wait,' Hayley called after him. He spun around.

'Yes?' He said sharply.

'Why are you so eager to get back to class?'

Draco thought for a moment, there was a prize in this class. They were competing to win a vile of luck potion, and that was something he really wanted. But, Harry Potter seemed really good this year, and besides him there was always Hermione Granger. She was such a nerd that she did everything really well.

'There's a competition, and I want to win it.' He told Hayley. She shot him a confused glance.

'A competition?

'Yeah,' He thought of something else. 'why are you so eager to skip class? Aren't you doing your OWLs this year?'

She shrugged. 'Yeah. But I got sent out of Defence class.'

'Why?'

She kicked her shoe against the floor.

'Your shoes?'

'Yeah,' She moaned.

'But I've seen about five people in your year wearing those.'

'I know,' She smiled. It vanished. 'Hey! I'm not wearing them to fit in, you know.'

He held his hands up in mock surrender. 'Alright. Never said you were.'

'You implied it.'

He smirked. This was the person she spoke to in the corridor last night! She smiled back at him.

The bell rang, ending their conversation.

'Oh great. I've completely missed the opportunity to win the Felix.' Draco groaned, leaning against the wall.

'I'm sorry,' Hayley told him quickly.

He shook his head. 'Nah. It's not your fault. It's Snape's fault really, if you think about it.'

The class started to leave the room. It didn't surprise Hayley that her cousin and his friends weren't amongst the first people to leave. It took them ages to do anything. She didn't realise, however, what his reaction would be when he noticed his cousin talking to his arch enemy.

'Hayley!' Harry called out to her.

'Hey, Harry,' She turned around and smiled at her cousin. It didn't take him long to notice who she was standing with.

'Malfoy?' He spat, glaring daggers at Draco.

Hayley glanced between the two of them, silently begging them not to get into a fight.

'Malfoy, you stay away from my cousin, d'you hear me?' Harry yelled, his wand drawn. Draco rolled his eyes, evidently not in the mood for one of Harry's rants.

'I think the whole school can hear you, Potter.' He said, considerably quieter. Before Harry had a chance to retaliate Draco stormed off down the corridor.

'What the hell was that about?' Harry raged. Hayley actually felt worried for her own safety.

'Harry, maybe you should calm down a bit, mate.' Ron advised him. He lost all that confidence when Harry turned back to glare at him.

'Hayley,' He spun back around to his cousin. 'why were you with him?'

'I was giving him a message from Snape.' Hayley explained honestly.

'And that's all? Just one little message?'

'Yes! What else would it be?' Hayley retorted, suddenly becoming increasingly angry with her cousin.

'I don't know… you were just alone in a corridor during class. Let's think now, what reason does everyone else use when they do that?' Harry was practically yelling it her now. And she wasn't going to take this from him of all people.

'For one, they don't do that in _corridors_, Harry! Broom cupboards, empty classrooms, yes. Corridors? That's just wrong!' Hayley shouted. 'And I am not doing it with Draco Malfoy!'

Harry took a step back, suddenly realising what he'd just accused his cousin of.

'Oh,' He muttered. 'I… I'm sorry Hayley.'

'It's alright.' She smiled.

'But, I don't want you talking to him again.'

'_What_?'

'You can't talk to him.' Harry repeated.

'You're joking right?' She looked him in the eyes. He wasn't joking. 'You're forbidding me to talk to him? What control do you have over me?'

'I'm your cousin, Hayley. And I'm older than you are!' Harry shot back.

'Oh yeah, of course. I forgot that my _cousin_ can give me orders like he's my dad!' She screamed at him. Harry remained silent. He didn't like it when she talked about her parents. Hayley was in the same situation as Harry was, except Voldemort hadn't even attempted to kill her because she wasn't there. She'd been staying with her grandparents. Consequently, her parents had been killed and she no lived with her grandma.

'Hayley, look, I just-' Harry tried to explain himself.

'I think you've said enough,' Hayley said quietly. She turned around and marched off down the corridor.

'Where are you going?' Harry called after her.

'Away from you!' She shouted back. He'd really given her fuel for the fire now. Harry turned back to his friends, who looked stunned to say the least.

'What should I do?' He asked them desperately, hoping his cousin wasn't heading straight down the nearest route to Draco Malfoy at that moment.

'You can't do anything,' Hermione told him quietly. 'she's going to do what she wants to, Harry.'

'But what if she goes to him now? What if they start like… seeing each other, or something?' Harry started panicking then.

'Harry,' Hermione put her hands on his shoulders. 'there is _nothing_ you can do. I'm sure she won't start anything with him. She was only delivering a message to him, she probably doesn't even like him.' Hermione told him confidently. He nodded weakly. She was probably right.

Hayley wandered slowly to the dungeons. What was she going to do? Wait outside Snape's office for him? And say what? This was definitely the least well thought out plan she'd ever had. She stopped in the Entrance Hall to think about what she was doing. She really needed someone to talk this over with, but there was no one she knew who'd understand. She could try and explain things to Ginny, but she hated Draco just as much as Harry did! Going to the dungeons was a bad idea. She shouldn't go looking for Draco Malfoy – it was like looking for trouble. But at the same time, she didn't feel like going to the common room.

She decided she needed to get some air, and the transfiguration courtyard was only a few minutes away. She found a quiet spot and a bench to sit down. The fountain in the middle of the courtyard was sprinkling water into the base underneath. It sounded so peaceful. It was very tranquil, and people only walked past every half an hour or so. Hayley took out a book and started reading.

Draco left Snape's office feeling in a terrible mood. Why did he always have to be so condescending? He just needed to sit down and think about things. Being in the common room would only depress him further. He hated this whole damn school! He didn't even know where he was walking to, but apparently the transfiguration courtyard seemed like a good idea. When he got there he had no idea why he'd thought that. He say Hayley Potter sitting on a bench reading a book, and yet he still continued to walk towards her, and then to sit down next to her.

Hayley glanced up from her book.

'Oh… hi,' She smiled at him.

'Hey,' He sighed. Hayley shut the book.

'What's wrong?' She asked.

He looked at her. 'Why should I tell you, Gryffindor?'

She rolled her eyes. 'Fine. Be that way.' She opened the book again. Why did he have to be like that?

Draco watched her continue to read her book. 'I'm sorry,' He forced himself to say.

'That's better.' Hayley smiled back at him. He couldn't help but smile at her.

'What did Snape want?' She asked him.

'Oh… just to give me this homework that I forgot to pick up.' Draco lied. Hayley raised her eyebrows.

'Really?'

'Yeah.'

'Cool,' Hayley smirked at him. She knew he was lying, but decided it probably wasn't important.

'How about you? How come you're sitting here?' He questioned.

'Well,' Hayley deliberated whether she should tell him the truth or not. 'I just… needed to space, I guess.'

'Space from who?'

'Harry,' She told him.

He smiled. 'Well, I understand that. What did he do?'

'I probably shouldn't tell you.'

'Why not?'

Hayley put her book back into her bag. 'He told me I have to stay away from you.'

'What? Why?'

'He saw me talking to you outside potions, and now he's practically forbidden me to speak to you again,' Hayley explained. 'I think he's worried something will… happen.'

Draco stared at her. Harry seriously thought he'd start something with his cousin? She was a Gryffindor! He wasn't even her friend!

'That's… interesting.' Draco muttered, not really sure how to respond to it.

'And I keep thinking, why is he so set on me not getting into anything with you? I mean, what's the problem with it if I did? Who's he to control me?' Hayley continued. Draco tuned out to the rest of the things she was ranting on about. The floors she was finding in this was wondering why her cousin might have a problem with this… rather than the fact that it wasn't going to happen! She thought it might happen!

'Look,' Draco started, not even sure if Hayley had finished what she was saying yet. 'Potter, I think you're seeing this from the wrong angles.'

'Really?'

'Yeah. I mean your main problem is that your cousin is trying to control you, rather than the fact that the thing he's trying to control you about… _is never going to happen_!'

'Shit, calm down.'

'I'm not angry, it's just that… that… you know, we're not even friends and Potter's contemplating that we might be more than that, it's just…' He stammered, suddenly becoming very nervous. Hayley placed her hand over his.

'I know nothing will happen,' She told him slowly. 'And that's why I was focussing on Harry trying to control me.' She explained.

Draco nodded. 'Yeah, okay… cool. Well, maybe… maybe we could be friends.'

'What?'

'You know… uh… hang out now and then, talk to each other, that sort of thing.'

Hayley smiled. 'Malfoy, I know what a friend is.'

He smirked. 'Yeah, that's a good thing.'

'So… how do we go about being friends? We don't see each other,' Hayley said. 'Ever.' She added for effect, and with a smile.

'We could start with dropping the Malfoy, and calling me Draco.'

'Right, um… Draco,' Hayley said slowly. That was strange. 'So, I guess you could call me Hayley.'

'Yeah… Hayley.' He replied.

'Weird isn't it?' Hayley laughed.

'Yeah,' Draco grinned at her. 'but we'll get used to it.'

Hayley smiled back at him.

'So,' He said awkwardly. 'are you coming to the next Hogsmeade visit?'

'Yeah. Are you?'

'Yeah,' he replied. 'Um… so, do you maybe want to get a drink then?'

Hayley glanced at her watch, she really had to get going. 'Sure. Yeah,' She picked her bag up from the floor. 'It's a date.' She smiled and began to walk away.

'It's what?' Draco called after her. She didn't mean it like that! She just meant it was set!

'Nothing!' She shouted back, and left for her common room.


End file.
